A quick trip to their room, and then the group was on their way to the gym. Alan buckled his baldric into place and happily followed the rest of them down a few levels and around a maze of identical, gray hallways. Honestly, he wondered how anyone in this place got anywhere without being hopelessly lost for days.

Teal'c joined up with them again, right outside the gym doors, giving them all a solemn nod.

"Hey big guy," Jack grinned. "What's up?"

"The marines are a little…antagonistic today O'Neill," Teal'c drawled in that slow way of his, and the Colonel frowned a bit. They'd just gotten a new batch of marines and a lot of them didn't seem impressed by the SGC. None of them had been through the 'Gate yet, nor had they been fully read in. All they saw were a bunch of scientists in the place.

Easy pickings, apparently.

Jack didn't care much for bullies. Especially when he had two civilians from a completely different world to worry about. Ones he wasn't sure had any kind of credible combat training, since they were mostly search and rescue.

And, as expected, it didn't take long for the marines in the room to peg onto the fact that there were two new people in their presence. One of which was large and muscular and looked like he could take a hit like a brick wall. Jack had to refrain from rolling his eyes when one of the smaller marines swaggered over and immediately started trying to pick a fight. (Why was it that it was always the smaller soldiers wanting to try and prove their might by fighting?)

The guy didn't even seem to register that there was a Colonel in his midst. He just wanted Virgil to fight him. Virgil wasn't very amused, although Alan seemed to be snickering a bit. "He's not a fighter," Alan whispered to SG1, standing behind him. "I mean, he can, if he has to, but Virgil's the most pacifistic one in the family."

The marine clocked onto the fact that there was a kid laughing at him and he snarled. "Well fine, how about a warmup then?" he said. "I fight the kid and the winner fights you," he snarked. "Unless you're afraid of getting your ass kicked."

Virgil blinked at him, crossing his arms. "Well yeah," he said confidently, a little amused. "Alan fights dirty. I hate sparring with him."

Alan burst into laughter. Because it was true; he'd learned all of Kayo's tricks and sparring sessions with his brothers usually ended up with them losing because of that small factor. Kayo hadn't taught any of the rest of them her tricks because they frankly didn't need them. Scott and Gordon were military trained, and Virgil was built like a tree. John wasn't ever on the ground (and she forced him to wear weapons when he was) so he hadn't needed to learn either. But Alan was young and small and more vulnerable.

"Knock it off Lemaire!" a deep voice called, sounding exasperated. A man, another marine, stood from his place at a weight bench. "Everyone already knows you're a dumbass. No need to prove it." There were chuckles from others in the room and Lemaire stalked off, grumbling to himself and red in the face. The other marine grinned at the newcomers, holding out a hand.

"Grant Tracy," he said as introduction. "Nice to meet you." He was tall and broad, with black hair and brown eyes. He looked remarkably similar to Virgil actually, who had just exchanged startled glances with his little brother.

"Uh…Virgil and Alan," Virgil replied faintly.

"What brings you here?" Grant asked, rocking back on his heels. He could tell, if only by the way they were dressed, that these two weren't military.

"Um," Alan wiggled a bit, shrugging a little. "Bring-your-obscure-relative to-work-day?" he muttered. Grant laughed, waving it off. The SGC was weird, and he already knew not to ask too many questions.

"Have a good day, then," he said, wandering back off to finish the rest of his workout.

Virgil and Alan watched him go, and Alan inched closer to his brother. "Was Grandpa in the Marines back home?" he asked in a soft whisper. Behind him, SG1 all exchanged looks. Because other worlds or not, that had to be a rather odd moment, meeting your grandfather before he'd even been married. He looked almost the same age as Virgil, after all. And it brought into question the fact that they were pretty sure that these boys were ones that were from a world similar to an old television show…so…what?

Did Grant Tracy someday have kids who would have kids that would take that old television show and make it a reality in this world? That would be a kicker, wouldn't it?

"Yeah," Virgil whispered back. "Don't know anything about any alien stuff though. This is so weird," the large mechanic muttered, shaking his head. And then he straightened, eyed the space and his little brother and made a plan. "You up to date on your weight training?"

"Sure," Alan shrugged. "Why?"

"Including fireman's carry?"

Alan groaned. "Do I have to?" he whined. He glanced over at SG1 behind him and rolled his eyes. Virgil raised an eyebrow. "Fine."

"Just because we're a little displaced at the moment doesn't mean we can forget about training," Virgil said, his low, baritone voice incredibly amused. "You're already getting a break from homework."

"Why are you so logical?" Alan grumbled back, heading for some empty mats. He didn't bother with removing HEMERA or his slightly bulky baldric because any rescue he was on he'd be wearing the belt and HEMERA wasn't leaving his sight around these scientific types wandering around. "It's freaking annoying sometimes."

"What's the Big Book of Rescues say?" Virgil asked, huffing out a laugh and shoving his hands in the large front pocket of his hoodie.

They'd made the book as a joke, not long after the London Blackout. Grandma had been amused by the concept and brought it up to Penelope, who took it and ran with it. It was a big, black leather book filled with 'rules' and 'guidelines' to rescues but were more inside jokes and funny anecdotes.

Alan rolled his eyes. "If Virgil says it is so, it probably is so," he intoned, completely monotonously.

"Unless it deals with space," Virgil said with a grin. He turned that grin on Jack. "Our rules—the real rules of International Rescue—state that every acting member bar Gordon needs to be able to do a fireman's carry with the equivalent of my weight." Which was a good two hundred plus pounds of pure muscle.

"Why not Gordon?" Daniel asked, watching as Alan stretched a bit. He was keeping a wary eye on the other watching marines as well, although Grant looked ready to step in if anyone said anything stupid.

Virgil frowned. "He was in an accident a while back. Military craft exploded. Broke his back and was told he'd never walk again."

Jack frowned. "So he's not part of your rescue operation?"

"No, he is," Virgil said with a fond shake of his head. "He pretty much told the doctors to screw themselves and was walking within nine months. He won an Olympic gold the next year. His back is problematic though, so his weight requirements are different than the rest of us." He shrugged a little. "Plus, Gordy's mostly on aquatic rescues, so fireman's carry isn't something he generally has to use."

Virgil stepped out onto the mats and started talking to Alan, leaving the four adults to ponder over what they'd been learning. "They're something else, aren't they, sir?" Carter murmured as Virgil laid himself down on the mats. "Astronauts and pilots and trained rescuers at sixteen and twenty-four. And the equipment and training and everything they say they go through—" she shook her head, looking both shell shocked and amazed at the same time.

"It's incredible," Daniel muttered. "Alan said it was voluntary too. No one's paying them to do it."

Jack gave a grunt, watching as the two world travelers worked through the motions of some kind of rescue hold. He didn't think either of them noticed another one of the little LED lights starting to glow on that weird armband. However it was that the thing was recharging it was doing so remotely and not messing with any equipment at the SGC, so it wasn't any problem.

They'd had enough weird tech problems since the issues with the Replicators had started up. Jack was pretty certain their problems with the alien machines were just starting too. He, frankly, didn't want anything more to do with any kind of tech problem and was quite happy to let the other teams' scientists figure that one out.

He hadn't been happy about bringing some 'defunct' Replicators into the SGC, but he wasn't the one in charge. And they'd had them for weeks without anything happening (aside from getting two young world-traveling trespassers, but that was unrelated.) Jack just prayed that nothing happened at all.

Alan stood over Virgil, took a breath and then did a full body roll over his brother's chest, wrapping the larger man around him as he rolled. By the time he was up on one knee, Virgil was over his shoulder in a perfect fireman's carry. Alan then braced himself and stood up.

Virgil had to outweigh the kid by at least one hundred pounds, but Alan didn't seem to be struggling too much. He'd not be able to go very long, but he could carry his brother for long enough. Which was the whole point of the exercise.

And the maneuver to get Virgil onto his shoulder had been a brilliant one, using momentum to force the dead weight into place. Jack was rather impressed, honestly, and committed the move to memory.

What followed next was a good half hour or so of practice of the different kind of rescue holds and carrying techniques that were often employed by the members of IR. Including a few that would be more useful in zero-G, which had Carter nearly salivating at the prospect. Virgil was gentle and soft spoken with his brother, encouraging him through the moves and correcting him when he did things wrong or dangerously.

Jack was about to interrupt so they could head back to the labs, when a loud, blaring alarm started throughout the entirety of the compound. "Unauthorized Gate Access!"

Virgil and Alan froze, looking to their unofficial guards in confusion. Sam and Daniel ushered them forwards, quickly heading for the doors. "I'm sure it's nothing," Daniel said, watching as Jack took off, Teal'c at his heels. "Best get you to your rooms just in case, though."

"Replicators!" someone in the hall screamed, followed by a burst of automatic gunfire.

Carter swore violently, grabbing Virgil and Alan by their arms and pulling them to the side. "This isn't good. Replicators are alien machines. Hive mind. They don't feel, they don't stop, and you have to stay out of the way!"

She took off running, Daniel right behind her, leaving Virgil and Alan alone in the gym. The rest of the soldiers had already disappeared as well, and from the amount of screaming, yelling and gunfire going on in the halls, that's where they all were.

There was an incredibly unnerving screeching sound, followed by an explosion and more screaming. Virgil and Alan exchanged looks, eyes wide and faces pale. They were completely out of their depths here and were more than happy to just wait this one out.

There was a clicking, scuttling sound that was coming closer. The two Tracys backed away from the doors, figuring it would be better not to be there. "Machines with a hive mind," Virgil muttered warily. "What do you think they can pick up on new tech?"

Alan looked down at HEMERA and flexed his hand a few times. "It's not a thought I like," he said in reply. Something exploded right outside the door, blowing it inward.

And metal swarmed into the room. Weird little metal crablike spiders skittering around the floors, climbing the walls and crawling across the ceiling. Any piece of tech or metal they came across was devoured and absorbed into the creatures.

Virgil tackled Alan out of the way of a mass of creatures, sending both of them rolling out into the corridor. A marine took up firing at the machines, which did very little to stop them.

A hand tugged both boys to their feet, and Virgil looked up to see Grant aiming his weapon again. "Run!" the man instructed, using his free hand to push at Alan's back.

The corridors were swarming with Replicators, and it didn't take long for them to realize that one of the humans had a new flavor of tech on him. The amassed and pushed Virgil away from Alan, slamming both into the ground.

Alan choked on a scream as one of those metal monsters speared a clawed foot through HEMERA and his arm and into the ground beneath them. Impaled and unable to get away, he focused on keeping those metal teeth from his arm guard, already damaged and turning red with his blood.

Virgil was busy fighting off a swarm of machines that was practically covering him. Both of them were getting cut up from the sharp metal claws of the skittering creatures, but Alan was far more focused on saving HEMERA.

"Hive mind," he muttered to himself through clenched teeth. He bent nearly in half, pressing his sneakered foot between HEMERA and the Replicator pinning him down in order to reach into his baldric. A quick fumble through a specific pocket had him fingering a black thumb drive. "Hive mind," he repeated to himself in a gasping whisper. Someone down the hall was screaming. He'd heard enough screams in his life to recognize the ones that came with death.

"Alan!" Virgil yelled over the noise of gunfire and Replicator clicking.

"God, I hope this works," Alan choked out, shoving the drive into the mouth of the creature.

The drive disintegrated, melding into the machine almost instantly. For a short moment, nothing happened, and Alan was afraid his idea hadn't worked. But then the creature shuddered, flinching erratically before suddenly crumbling in a heap. Around him, all the other Replicators started doing the same, twitching and flailing before finally falling still.

And suddenly there was silence.

Alan let his head drop to the ground, gasping as the pain in his arm caught up to him. "Alan!" he heard Virgil cry out as the larger man freed himself from the tangle of metal corpses and slid over to him.

"They tried to get HEMERA," Alan gasped softly, tears gathering in his eyes. His arm burned and ached and shot pain in white hot signals all the way up to his shoulder. It felt worse than the time when he was seven and tried to fly with an umbrella like Mary Poppins and ended up with a broken arm. "I had to stop them."

"You did good," Virgil said, clearing most of the machines from around Alan. He didn't touch the one that was impaling Alan's arm, biting his lip as he glanced around them at the chaos that had taken all of ten minutes to happen. "Breathe, Alan," he whispered. "You did more than good."

"We need a medic down here!" Grant called, kicking at the machines and coming to stand over the two. And darn it all if he didn't sound exactly like Scott right then.

Alan focused on breathing.

Virgil was in full rescue mode, accessing Alan's bio-readout via the watches they both wore. And then he was examining the long, metal spike spearing through his little brother's arm. "Be easier if it wasn't still connected," he muttered to himself, fingering the joint attaching the leg to the body of the Replicator.

"What killed them?!" O'Neill could be heard yelling as footsteps came barreling down the hall. Virgil's fingers were in Alan's pockets on his baldric, but Alan remained still, letting his brother find the tools he needed.

"Don't know, sir!" Carter replied. "They all just dropped dead!"

"Kid's hurt," Grant reported to his two senior officers, watching as Virgil carefully removed the Replicator body and started assessing Alan's arm. They couldn't just pull the spike out, as they had no guarantee how much damage had been done to the artery in his forearm. As of right now, the bleeding was rather minimal, and Virgil wanted to keep it that way.

"Alan," Virgil said softly, trying to get his brother's attention. He needed to know that Alan was still with them. It also caught the attention of the soldiers in the corridor, however. "What did you do?"

"Hive mind," Alan repeated breathily, eyes opening just enough for a smidge of blue to be seen. "Like the Mechanic's mecha. John and I created a virus to take down hive minds. I fed it to the Replicator." He hissed as Virgil gently lifted his arm, spike and all, from the ground, pulling the spike from the concrete with some gentle force.

"You stopped the invasion?" Jack asked, coming to kneel next to them. He sounded a little incredulous and a lot out of breath.

"They wanted HEMERA," Alan said, giving a soft whine as Virgil started packing bandages around the spike in his arm. "Could you imagine if those things got the ability to travel across dimensions?" he asked, his voice nearly a whisper.

Grant jerked a little, the only one aside from Jack and Carter close enough to hear that declaration. But he kept his composure, keeping his face blank. Carter's own face had paled drastically at the thought, and she swallowed heavily. "Sir?" she asked weakly, looking up at Jack.

"Let's get them to the infirmary," Jack said. And if his voice was a little rough, no one called him on it.